


If Only You Knew

by livinaphantasie



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Animal Instincts, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Frisk, Female Reader, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I have my own opinion on monster behavior, Judge Sans, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Not Your Typical Heat Cycle, Original Character(s), Protective Sans, Racism, Reader Has A Name, Reader has Green Magic, Reader is like Undyne, Reader-Insert, Riots, Sans Has Night Terrors, Slow Burn, Smoking Sans, Soul Bond, Violence, adding tags as I go, reader is a monster, reader is shy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-03-16 02:26:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13626636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livinaphantasie/pseuds/livinaphantasie
Summary: Monsters have been on the surface for about 3 years now. You are an aquatic monster who has finally gotten her flower shop opened and in full swing. Now you just have to get the guts to speak to your crush, Papyrus. He's your knight in shining armor. He's kind, confident, handsome... and has a brother who is really, really nosy.(Rewritten and Editted)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I love the idea of Sans/Readers, but they're always human. I decided to change it up a bit. Criticism is welcomed!
> 
> I went back and rewrote a lot of this and it's flowing a LOT better in my head! Welcome to If Only You Knew 2.0!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but the main story takes place way later. This is a set up.

You couldn’t believe it. The human actually took down the barrier.

You have been living underground all your life, just like most of the monsters down here. You would have never imagined in your life time that the barrier would be shattered. That’s why you left your home in Waterfall. You were prepared to live down here forever running your small flower shop in New Home, but now a whole new path has opened up for you and hope filled your soul once again. You could open a new flower shop on the surface. The surface had hundreds of flowers that you could sell. And maybe, just maybe, you’d be able to speak to—

A sudden knock at your door ripped you from your thoughts and back into your shop. It was pretty empty even before the packing started. There’s not many flowers in the Underground to sell. You made your way towards the door, side stepping the boxes of books you had been able to get together. The light through your shop window from the magic lanturns outside reflected off your orange scales. You opened to door to see your best friend, Muffet, and monsters running left and right to get their things and make their way to the surface.

“Oh, dearie,” she said with a soft voice, “please tell me you've started packing. Everyone is leaving.” Green blush dusted your cheeks causing the pearls lining your cheek bones to stand out. You had starting packing sure, but you weren’t even close to done because of your daydreaming.

“I’m trying…” you squeaked letting a strand of your purple hair fall into your face as your fins folded back showing your embarrassment. You stepped aside and let Muffet in. Muffet looked around and sighed sadly.

“Sweetie,” Muffet sighed as she leaned her head into one of her hands, “you have an awful long way to go. Do you need help? My spiders are packing for me back at the shop, so if you need it…”

“No,” the phrase came louder than intended causing you to flinch, “No, it’s ok. I just got stuck daydreaming. I’ll be fine.” Muffet smiled knowingly.

“Were you daydreaming about Papyrus again?” You quickly hid your face behind your bangs. “I knew it. You know there’s nothing stopping you from speaking with him. Why don’t you try?” Muffet carefully sat in a nearby chair resting one set of hands in her lap, crossing another 3 across her chest and resting her chin in the last. You sighed sadly and sat across from her.

“You know why I can’t do that,” you stated, “He’s way out of my league. Think about it, a royal guardsman and a flower shop girl. I mean, Undyne is a way more impressive member of my species. He’d be happier with her.”

“Now stop it,” Muffet quickly snapped, “You’re just as pretty of an aquatic monster as Undyne, if not more so. You’re polite, smart, and kind. You just need to be more confident in yourself.” You looked out the window at the monsters hussling around New Home. Everyone was so excited about what the surface might bring. Who knows, maybe it could bring you the confidence to talk to Papyrus. You've only had a crush on him ever since… Geez, you don’t even remember. He’s always been so… charming and… so confident and kind… “Hello, dearie,” Muffet said, once again ripping you from your thoughts, “My goodness, that daydreaming is getting worse. Huhuhu! Let’s get started packing so we can join the others. Don’t want to be the only monsters left in the Underground, now do we?”

“Right!” you said quickly as you jumped up to pack. You couldn’t wait to see what the surface could bring. If only you knew... If only…


	2. Missed Opportunities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out these fanarts, you guys!!! They're amazing!
> 
>  
> 
> [Fish-chan by BowlOfApples](http://apple-kuun.tumblr.com/post/170946639555/a-quick-doodle-on-how-i-depict-fish-reader-chan)  
> [Bit of Fanart by Lady_Kari](https://lady-karichan.tumblr.com/post/171262609892/this-is-a-bit-of-fan-art-for-livinapantasie)
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much to those who have worked so hard on these! Remember, fanarts are always welcomed!

3 years later…  
\---------------

You woke up from your dreamless sleep to your alarm going off. _Another day, another dollar,_ you thought to yourself as you slammed your hand on the snooze button and buried your head under the comforter.

Lots of things had happened since monsters came to the surface. The king, queen, and human (now ambassador) managed to get monsters their basic civil rights. That being said, it didn’t stop some humans from playing the system and making it look like the monsters had no leg to stand on. The racism and riots were about the same. At least it wasn’t getting any worse, but it wasn’t getting better either. Despite all that though, your flowers shop was officially making significant profit. Today was even the second anniversary of your grand opening. It only took a year to get a shop and the flowers together and now here you are, exactly where dreamed to be. Well, almost…

The alarm went off the second time. This time you threw the covers off and got up out of bed, turning the alarm off on your way to the bathroom. The floor was cold against your bare, webbed feet so you made a mental note to get a rug for your bedroom.

When you entered the bathroom, you stopped in front of the mirror to examine how rough your sleep was. Per usual, your long purple hair was a big knotted mess and your green eyes were heavy and swelled. Your orange scales looked dull and dry and your sharp, pointed teeth were in need of their daily brushing. The only part of you that looked awake was the pearls along your cheek bones shining brightly from the fluorescent bulbs in the bathroom, but they were kind of a set feature of yours.

With that, you sighed as you removed your tank top and laced panties before climbing into the shower to freshen up. Showering was your favorite part of the morning. Despite refusing to partake in most of your species' quirks, such as meat eating and fighting, you did absolutely love the water. You could not deny how natural it felt when water danced along your scales. You start to hum softly, smiling as you lathered shampoo into your hair. The fins protecting your earholes fanned slightly, the purple webbing absorbing as much moisture as possible. They were surprisingly small for your kind, as were the ones that lined the outside of your arms. You frowned at the thought. You were such a small, insignificant monster. Some monsters called you cute while others found you weak… like Undyne. You soul sank at the thought of her. She was adored by all the monsters for being so strong and confident... and everything you weren't. _Don’t think about her,_ you thought shaking your head hard, _You don't have to prove yourself to anyone._

You stepped out of the shower and wrapped yourself in a towel. Your scales already looked a million times more vibrant and you were ready to go downstairs and open up your shop. You brushed your teeth and put on a grey sweater and skinny black jeans before locking up your small apartment.

The small shop was relaxing first thing in the morning. The only sounds were the ticking clock and the smell of the flowers was intoxicating to you. The hundreds of different colors that the flowers displayed to you made your soul sing. How could something so simple be so beautiful? You grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl that you keep behind the register and bit it in half. You sighed contently as you made your way to the window to open the shop. Before you did, you looked back at the peaceful, dim shop that you worked so hard to get and smiled. You could just stay like this all morning, but that’s only because you knew what was on the other side of the curtains. Sure enough, there they were; the small crowd of protesters holding signs demanding you leave and that you don’t have the right to exist. You frowned hard, your fins folding back in sadness. This is normal life on the surface and though it was nice, it wasn’t at the same time. You looked up at the sky. The birds fluttered through the clouds and the sunrise shined a brilliant yellow and orange, reminding you the surface was worth it before you unlocked the door and started watering your beautiful flowers.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day went on like normal with both human and monster customers coming and going thanks to your anniversary specials you had going on. It was a nice day. Nothing dramatic was happening and even the humans who were clearly uncomfortable with you remained polite. You were in a good mood, but there’s no such thing as a perfect day.

The bell went off as someone entered, but when you went to greet them, you froze. There was no mistaking who that was. Everyone in the Underground knew her. Hell, by now, everyone on the surface knew who she was… Undyne.

You stopped yourself from hiding under the counter. Despite it being Undyne, she was still a customer and you had to remain professional. She looked around appearing rather nervous before making eye contact with you. She scoffed, a soft green blush appearing on her cheeks before she approached your place behind the register.

“What’s new, shrimp?” she asked flashing a toothy grin at you. You hissed softly at the nickname, quickly looking away with embarrassment. You’d think she’d stop teasing you over your size after so long, but apparently not.

“Nothing really,” you said dryly, trying to hide behind your bangs that hung in your face. It wasn’t a secret you didn’t get along with many people, much less popular people like her. You might have had the chance to be friends when you were both younger, but no. She had to show off how strong she was to everyone. Now her mere presents made you self-conscious. She just made you feel inferior. She just made you feel… small. “I-Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Heh, still not the talking type, huh?” she paused, staring at you intently. You refused to look into her gaze as you waited patiently. You didn't have the guts to tell her to hurry thanks to your submissive nature. She pick up on the tension radiating from your soul fairly quickly and sighed, “Alright, alright. I need some… flowers. You know, for someone… special.” She blushed heavily this time, looking around the room at your selection. You wondered what was different about her and that’s when you realized that she smelled different. She smelled like someone else. She must have a mate somewhere.

“Clearly, you’re... not trying to court a mate,” you stated hesitantly, “Is this an anniversary or…”

“It’s private,” she snapped quickly, causing you to flinch. From that reaction, she must have the intentions of soul bonding with her mate. A small rush of excitement ran through you. How romantic! To find a mate and be so perfect together that you consider bonding! If only you could be so lucky… But this was Undyne. Of course, she would find someone to bond with. She gets anything she wants and doesn’t even try. The excitement died just as fast as it came.

“I see…” You only had to think for a moment. It was obvious that it didn’t really matter what kind of flowers she got, so long as it was the right color. “Then I would recommend a flower that is red in color. It’s a much more passionate choice. If you wanted a speci—“

“Fine,” she said quickly cutting you off as she slammed some money on the counter. Before you could speak, she grabbed a hand full of the nearest red flowers and left. You stared after her for a moment in confusion before counting the money and, not surprisingly, she underpaid. Typical. You hoped that whoever she intended to bond with knew what they were getting themselves into. Ever since you were kids, Undyne was just so… obnoxious, and apparently, that hadn't changed much. She was still loved by all despite that. You sighed as you put the money in the register. That’s when you noticed Undyne talking to a figure just outside the window that caused you to gasp at the sight of him.

She had come with Papyrus. Butterflies filled your stomach and your soul soared as you stared, mouth opened slightly. You watched how confidence and kindness was radiating off of him. He was easily the most handsome monster you had ever laid eyes on. He wasn’t sporting his usual battle body. Instead, he was wearing some nice khakis and a green plaid button up. Wow, he was wearing your soul color and that made your blush deepen. He was absolutely breathtaking.

Before you realized what was happening, he spotted you staring and waved to you. You could have waved back, but instead you ducked behind the register, hiding from his sight as you tried to catch your breath. He waved at you. Papyrus waved at you! You couldn’t believe! He actually acknowledged you were there! You giggled and squealed to yourself. You had to talk to him. You had to take this opportunity before it vanished. You slowly stood up only to find them already gone, leaving you alone with the protesters across the street. You felt your throat tighten as you frowned, your fins sagging on both side of your head. You missed your chance… again… and you had no idea when you would get another one.


	3. Weakling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic is not your strong suit...

The shop was locked up tightly now and most of the neighborhood was asleep... except you. You liked the night air. It reminded you of Waterfall. The air was cool and the moon gave everything a blueish white glow. There were no monsters to look at your tiny features and no humans to yell about you not belonging. It was just you, your book, and the moon.

You sat in your comfy lawn chair that you discovered in a human "flea market" out on your balcony. It was a tiny balcony, only enough room for your chair and you, but you didn't complain. You could prop your feet up on the railing anytime you needed. You just needed a space for reading and this was absolutely perfect.

You read vigorously as the moon rose higher. You weren't paying any attention to your surroundings. You were too busy hoping that the wizard boy would be able to find the mystery behind the prisoner that escaped to hunt him down! You were so happy that the internet recommended this series to you. Magic is real for monsters, but not like this. This was a fascinating new world and with all the books humans had to offer, this wasn't going to be the only world you came to. Your fins fluttered with excitement when you heard a noise that pulled your attention away.

When you looked over the edge of the balcony, you didn't really know what you were seeing. The alley was dark from the lack of moon light touching it, but your eyes could adjust to the dark quickly. It was dirty and filled with garbage which were common signs of being in the wrong side of town. That's pretty much the only place monsters could live affordably. Just another way to discriminate against them.

Finally, she heard a whimper and looked down the alley to see two humans. One was a woman who was clearly frightened and pinned against the wall by a man easily twice her size. His hand covered her mouth and the grin on his grease covered face suggested he had bad intentions for this meeting. You didn't give yourself time to think. You had to do something. You knew the police wouldn't be in a hurry to help you. You were a monster and they almost made a point to take their time when monsters call in an emergency.

You quietly put down your book and jumped off the side of the balcony, slowing your fall using your magic. You weren't very skilled with magic or fighting, but you could menuver when necessary. All you had to do was give the woman a chance to escape. That's it. Then you could get away. Everyone is safe. Right? It's that simple, right?

You creeped down the alley toward them, hiding behind dumpsters and trash cans along the way. The occasional rat would squeak in surprise of your presence, but the only other sound was the man whispering in the woman's ear as she cried. Thank goodness you were extremely good at making yourself silent. By the time you stopped moving behind the last dumpster, you were close enough to hear his jacket blowing in the soft breeze. You swallowed hard...

3...  
You focused on your magic. You only needed enough to stun him. Surely you had enough for that.

2...  
Your hand felt hot as your magic filled your palm. You took a deep breath, trying to relax yourself. You had to do this. This was your time to shine; to prove to yourself that you were strong enough to call yourself a monster. You had to prove you were good enough if you were going to have any chance with Papyrus.

1...............

You jumped out from behind the dumpster and launched your magic towards the man. As it released, it came to form your signature green whip and took hold of the man's arm with a hearty snap. You grapped the end closest to you pulled hard against the man's weight. His arm pulled away from the woman's mouth and... that was it.

You pulled hard on the whip, but he didn't budge any farther. He still had the woman pinned as she pleaded with her eyes for help and he stared at you in anger and disbelief.

"And what the hell do you think your doing, you sack of shit?" the man asked coldly as he turned his body to face you. Fear quickly consumed you as your fins folded down on themselves and your brain refused to conjure up any new plans. You pulled again on the whip only to have the man pulled back. You plowed into the ground face first and your magic dissipated into thin air. The man's laughter filled the air as you pulled yourself off the ground, wincing with every move.

"Is that it?" he laughed, "Wow, that's embarrassing. To think you guys are supposed to be these big, powerful magic users." You knew you should run. You knew you were beat, but fear gripped your soul. All you could do was sit and stare, tears building in eyes. "Still, you have a lot of nerve attacking me like that. So what should I do with you? I mean you obviously weren't trained to mind your own business."

He dropped the woman and started walking toward you. You attempted to backup only to back into the very dumpster you started behind. The woman took the opportunity to run and as much as you couldn't blame her, you had hoped she'd stay and help. Now it was just you and the man who was finally close enough that you could feel his breath. You closed your eyes tightly, trembling as you waited for whatever discomfort he had intended to deliver.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he sneered. That's when you felt it. A surge of magic you've never felt before. It was definitely magic that you were not familiar with. It didn't matter through. Almost as soon as you felt it, something rushed past you and your heard the man yelp in pain. "Son of a bitch! You're like a bunch of damn cockroaches! Fuck this!"

And with that... the man ran away.

When you finally opened your eyes, you saw clean white bones perturding from the wall and your heart jumped. There was only one monster you knew that had bone magic. You heard footsteps approach you from behind. You couldn't believe it. He came to your rescue. He would sweep you off your feet and you would live happily ever after. Your fins fluttered as you slowly turned to see him, only you saw someone else.

He was still a skeleton (which was rare), but he was even shorter than you by an inch or two with much broader features. The white pinpricks in his sockets were bright in the dark ally and he had a lazy demeanor, sporting a dark blue jacket over a plain white t-shirt and black athletic pants. His sneakers weren't even tied. You felt your soul sink, your fins drooping as hope faded away.

"ya alright there, pal?" he asked. You couldn't answer. You were too disappointed, too embarrassed, too... Well, too overwhelmed with negative emotions to actually respond to him. He blinked a couple of times before speaking again. "alright, maybe ya are, maybe you're not. no need ta tell me now. what're ya doin' out 'ere anyway?"

Your eyes widened. He thought you were the one getting assaulted the whole time. There was no way he'd believe you were originally trying to help someone else. No, you were too weak for that to be true. There was no way unless you were just that stupid. So he would either think you were weak or think you were stupid. You could feel his pinpricks digging into you, waiting for an answer. He was just going to laugh at you. He was going to pity you and he didn't even know you. Instead, you ran.

You heard him call after you to wait, but you had to get away. You couldn't look at his face knowing he was embarrassed that you were a monster. Hell, you were embarrassed FOR him. You brought shame to monsters everywhere. No wonder Undyne was loved by everyone. No one could love you. Even Papyrus.

You finally made it around the building, ripping the spare key from its hiding spot. You managed to get the door unlocked and get into your shop in before your anxiety attack hit you. You broke down behind the door and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .:Fanarts:.
> 
>  
> 
> [Fish-chan by BowlOfApples](http://apple-kuun.tumblr.com/post/170946639555/a-quick-doodle-on-how-i-depict-fish-reader-chan)  
> [Bit of Fanart by Lady_Kari](https://lady-karichan.tumblr.com/post/171262609892/this-is-a-bit-of-fan-art-for-livinapantasie)
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks so much!! Remember, fanarts are always welcomed!


	4. Exhaustion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans's POV
> 
>   _"What can I say except 'you're welcome'?"_

_A few moments earlier..._

Grillby's was incredibly busy. That was no surprise of course. It was popular when it was in the Underground where only monsters had access to it. Since it got to the surface, humans by the dozen we're coming and going every hour and business was beyond expectations. They seemed to enjoy the warm glow of the atmosphere and the old fashioned bar look gave it a relaxed feel. It was an understandable reason. In fact, it was up for debate if the place had more human customers than monsters now. One thing about it never changed... Sans.

He sat in his spot at the bar like always with his head resting in his arms. He had already eaten since he got there and now he just needed to take a minute to breathe as he listened to the roar of the busy restaurant. Grillby didn't mind. Sans could rest there as long as he needed, so long as he didn't let his tab get behind like he did in the Underground.

Sans was tired. Nothing seemed to relieve the wear and tear on his soul anymore. Three years ago, he was relieved to see the sunset as they arrived on the surface for the first time... the first time... After what could have been three dozen times, he didn't care. He didn't find magic and beauty in it anymore. It was just a good dream among the bad that would fade away again, bringing him right back to his bedroom in Snowdin on that fateful morning.

That said, this was the longest he had been on the surface. Frisk claimed they couldn't reset anymore; that that demon child, Chara, faded away along with the ability to do such a selfish thing. He was suspicious, but grateful even though now the surface itself exhausted him.

In the three years they've been here, monsters had gotten basic civil rights. They could own their own store, work for the same pay, marry who they wanted, get a driver's license, and all the things most humans take for granted up here. Most monsters were happy and said the surface was everything they had ever dreamed of, but not Sans.

He was Judge. He knew of the fight the king and queen had to put up to get those rights for monsters. He knew of all the thefts, assaults, rapes, and even murders humans inflicted on monsters. He knew everything about every struggle that the monsters had to face. Everyone else was happy though. Even Papyrus was happy. That was what was important. Nonetheless, he was tired... and hopeless.

Grillby gently shook Sans's shoulder. He shot his head up, sockets empty, and looked around to see that the place had emptied out completely. He didn't remember falling asleep. It had only felt like he had been there a few short minutes, not hours. Grillby's flames crackled as Sans's pinpricks came back into his sockets.

"Are you alright, my friend?" Grillby asked. Sans continued to stare out over the restaurant for a moment longer before his tight smile relaxed back to normal.

"yeah, I'll be fine," Sans grumbled as he rose from the stool. He looked up at Grillby to see him shaking his head with sad eyes, clearly knowing he was lying, but Sans just shrugged before he made his way toward the door. "thanks, grillbz. put it on my tab."

When his face hit the cool night air, he sighed heavily as he stood in place, allowing the soft breeze to tickle the sides of his skull. Nights like this made the surface bearable. He loved the way the sky sparkled and danced with life a billion light years from his hand. His soul was just a speck of glitter when compared to the night sky.

He stared up at the stars, reminding himself that monsters were better off here than being stuck in the Underground. The moonlight was shining brightly causing his bones to practically glow. He could stay right here forever, becoming one with the Earth, destined to admire the beauty of the shifting sky for all eternity... but he couldn't. He had work to do. Lots of it. He had to help keep everyone happy. He had to help shield everyone from who the real monsters were.

His attention was torn from his thoughts when he saw a woman run from an alley nearby. She appeared frightened, but as far as he knew, no one was out on the streets at this hour. He made his way toward the alley, suspicious of what would have caused the human to become so jumpy.

Sans saw a large man approaching a fellow monster backed against a dumpster. She was clearly female based on the scent he caught in the air. This immediately made him curious. What was she doing out so late? It was dangerous to be out here by herself. He watched for a moment in silence as the man spoke only inches from her face, checking his soul for any sins he may have committed. Once he saw the humans intentions, he didn't even hesitate.

His magic flared and he summoned some bone magic that he launched in his direction. It wasn't a strong attack, but it would get the point across. Sure enough, after the man said a few choice words, he scurried back into whatever rat nest he crawled out off, the bones still pertruding from the wall. Sans huffed in relief. Had the man decided to fight back, he would have had some trouble. The sins of his soul caused him to be rather strong for a human.

Sans walked toward the monster. Her back still against the dumpster so all he noticed at first was her long purple waves of hair and that her arm was made up of orange scales and the small fins that ran down the sides of her forearm. That was a dead give away that she was much like Undyne. A fish monster, if you wanted to go through the trouble of separating them into "species". Monsters preferred the term "aquatic" monster.

When she turned to face him, Sans almost couldn't hide the surprise on his face. It must have been the moonlight reflecting off the pearls that lined her cheek bones and soft green eyes, but he swore she was excited for a moment, like this was the best moment of her life, but it was only for a moment. Her eyes quickly filled with disappointment as the small fins along the sides of her head folded down.

She looked... sad? After all that, she was sad? He took her in a little at a time trying to understand. Her fins were smaller than the average aquatic monster, but they complimented her petite, angular figure. Her hair was long and thick with bangs hanging gracefully across her face. Her eyes hung low, staring at the ground in an effort to avoid his gaze. She gently chewed on her lip with her sharp teeth and rubbed her arm awkwardly as if to distract herself from the moment. She wore plain gray jogging pants with a bright pink t-shirt and house shoes. Clearly, she had come out here after planning for bed, but why was she so sad after being rescued?

"ya alright there, pal?" he finally asked. After a moment of her not responding, he decided to just humor her. It wasn't his place to make her talk. Besides, monster or not, he was still a stranger. He seriously couldn't expect her to open up to him like that. "alright, maybe ya are, maybe you're not. no need ta tell me now. what're ya doin' out 'ere anyway?"

Her eyes suddenly widened with what looked like panic. Had he said something wrong? Did he accidentlly read the man's intentions wrong and he was her lover or something? No, that couldn't be right. He's never read a person's soul wrong. That didn't change the fact that she was just standing there staring... and she still hadn't answered. What was her deal?

Before he could speak again, she ran past him. She was fast. Lightening fast. In fact, he'd never seen a monster as fast as her. She'd easily out run Undyne any day of the week. Hell, even HE wouldn't be able to touch her unless he timed a jump through the void perfectly. He turned to stop her only to see the ends of her hair turn the corner back onto the street.

"wait!" he called, but by the time he made it back to the street, she was gone. He was so confused. Where the hell did she go? He walked down the block slowly, listening for any movement. She had to be close. She couldn't use the void like he could, whether she was fast or not. That's when he heard the sob.

On the other side of the door next to him, he heard crying. That had to be her. There's no other explaination. He gently placed his forehead against the door and sure enough, her scent was right there. His shoulders relaxed now that he knew she was safe in what he assumed was her home. He stepped back and looked up at the sign on the side of the building.

ECHO FLOWER SHOP

He couldn't help, but snicker slightly. It was a god awful name. How come he hadn't noticed this place before? Then again, how often does he buy flowers? At least she was safe, whoever she was. He looked back at the shop door for a moment before turning and walking into the void back to his home.

It was almost identical to his home in the Underground save for some extra bedrooms and a bathroom. It was perfect for when guests visited and with an extrovert like Papyrus around, that happened more often than Sans would like. Nevertheless, it was cozy and filled with the smell of food. A lot like Toriel's place actually, only more salty than sweet.

Sans collapsed on to the couch with a huff. He had to get back to work tomorrow. There was lots of different political crap to discuss with the royal family and he had to file through some humans that had been arrested recently for acts against monsters. Why did he ever agree to this mess? He should have just gone back to working with Alphys. At least people weren't at risk if he decided to slack. Before he could continue his thought, the door slammed open and excited steps made their way into the living room.

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled, though Sans was used to it. Sans just grunted a greeting at him from his sleepy pile of bones. "OH, GOOD! YOU'RE HOME! I HAVE WONDERFUL NEWS! GUESS WHAT!"

"bro, i'm sure whatever it is, it's wonderful." Sans slurred as his sockets became harder to keep open.

"OH, YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO GUESS!" Papyrus made his was to the kitchen as he protested, no doubt to cook something else. "YOU'RE SUCH A LAZY BONES! FINE, I'LL TELL YOU! UNDYNE IS ASKING ALPHYS TO BOND WITH HER TONIGHT! ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?!"

"'bout damn time..." Sans closed his eyes and snuggle his head into the crook of his arm. He wasn't surprised by the news. Undyne and Alphys had been mates since they left the Underground and they constantly smelled like each other. They should have bonded a year ago.

"NOW DON'T BE LIKE THAT! THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING I NEEDED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT! I'VE BEEN INVITED TO GO WITH METTATON ON TOUR! I'M REALLY EXCITED! WE NEED TO MAKE A LIST OF THINGS I'LL NEED!" Silence... "SANS?" Papyrus made his way out of the kitchen and toward the couch. That's when he could hear Sans's soft snoring. He just couldn't stay awake and he didn't hear a word Papyrus said. Sans would just have to hear about it later. For now, he needed to sleep. He only had a few hours before the nightmares began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know if you guys would be interested in knowing Reader's name or not. You can call her whatever, but I call her...
> 
> Nima <3
> 
> Feel free to send in anymore fanart! I'm an artist too so I know how much work you guys put in to it and I'm super grateful!
> 
> .:Fanarts:.
> 
> [Fish-chan by BowlOfApples](http://apple-kuun.tumblr.com/post/170946639555/a-quick-doodle-on-how-i-depict-fish-reader-chan)   
>  [Bit of Fanart by Lady_Kari](https://lady-karichan.tumblr.com/post/171262609892/this-is-a-bit-of-fan-art-for-livinapantasie)
> 
> Thanks so much!! Remember, fanarts are always welcomed!


	5. Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was going to be a normal festival, but it sort of fell apart... in a good way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, last chapter, I told you all that reader's name was Nima behind the scenes and it was unanimous that she went by that name. So officially, she will go by the name Nima.
> 
> Yay!!! Sweet little Nima, they all love you!!
> 
>  
> 
> _"Please don't call me little..."_
> 
>  
> 
> Oh... Yeah, yeah, I knew that!

It has been a week since the embarrassing events in the alley. You swore to yourself that you would avoid that skeleton at all costs. Who was he anyway? Surely that wasn't Papyrus's big brother you've heard so much about. How could someone so charmingly handsome and regal be related to someone like that? Well, not that he was ugly or anything. He just gave off this lazy slacker vibe. Not to mention his scent was overwhelming. He smelled like vinegar and old books. The old books you could handle, but the vinegar... Yuck! It reminded you too much of pickles and ketchup.

There's was no time to worry about all that though. It was festival week. It was time to celebrate coming to the bright, beautiful surface and you contributed by setting up your own booth in the park where the fair was taking place. You had worked way too hard transporting all your flowers and building your booth to worry about the past. Oh, no! This festival was about the future and you were not about to let one small embarrassing moment get in the way of that.

You had arrived there super early to arrange your flowers perfectly. You brought some of your older ones who desperately needed homes, so you had to use some of your healing magic to make them perk up. You noticed people starting to arrive to set up their booths as well and that's when you took a small break to see what everyone else had.

It was a beautiful day to have the festival. The sky was the bluest it had been all week and the grass was a warm green. It was a little hot, but the humidity made it bearable for you. Some monsters couldn't handle the humid air of summer like you could. Of course, the occasional breeze helped with that. A small gust wrapped your white and green sundress around your ankles bringing with it a huge array of smells.

There were booths all the way down the park trail selling everything from food to crafts to trade good and so much more. The smell of food, both salty and sweet, filled your nostrils and it made your fins flutter with excitement. You couldn't wait to try some... so long as there was no meat in it of course.

You spoke with some of the vendors. Grillby, Bunnie, Gerson's great-grandson, Tortom, Bratty and Catty, Burgerpants, and many others were there. Even humans had booths and waved at you happily as you passed by. Finally Mettaton had a giant stage setup at the end of it all, shining with lights and booming with sound tests. Everyone was here to be happy together and it made your soul sing with joy. You just loved seeing everyone so happy and at peace and it will only get better from here.

When you arrived back to your booth, you weren't surprised at all to see Muffet smirking at you while her spiders finished her setup right next to you. Of course Muffet would make sure her booth was next to yours. She was your best friend after all. That being said, her smirk made you think there was something else in mind.

"What's that look for?" you asked her hesitantly as you took your seat behind your booth. The fair was going to start any minute and people would start filtering in. Muffet giggled as she leaned against your booth winking at you with two eyes.

"Are you going to speak to him today?" she questioned with a teasing tone. You rolled your eyes at her.

"Muffet, please..." You sighed heavily as you crossed your arms acrossed you chest, fins folding down. "Today is a day of celebration. I'm sure he'll be too busy doing Royal Guard things to be bothered by someone like me." Muffet gently slapped at my cheek.

"Now stop that," she frowned, "You just as important as any monster here. You have to let all that negative stuff go, dearie."

"Yeah... It's just hard. You know how much I was teased as a kid." You tightened your grip on your arm as you stared at the ground. You started grinding your sharp teeth together in anger. "I can still hear it... Everyone laughing at me... Everyone calling me 'shrimp'..."

"Don't think about it. It's all in the past. You were just a child then. No older than the human. Almost everyone has forgotten about that." Muffet and you were quiet for a long moment. She was right about one thing. No one seemed to remember what happened, which is good in the since that they can't keep bringing it up... but it's also bad cause you weren't even important enough to remember.

"It's fine," you look up to Muffet, forcing a smile, "I'll be fine. Like I said, it's a day of celebration. We should be happy. 3 years on the surface? I never imagined this day would come!" You willed yourself to get excited and whether Muffet could tell or not, you would never know. She smiled softly at you and nodded before returning to her booth.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't long after that that the park became flooded with monsters and humans alike celebrating the freedom of monsters. It was wonderful to see. Granted there were not many humans, but it's still a huge deal. This means monsters were becoming more and more accepted here on the surface. You never imagined it would happen so fast, but here you are.

It was only slightly past midday and you had already made a few sells. You were very proud of yourself. Muffet had brought you some food from another booth since she had her little spiders to help her. It was something called grilled cabbage patties and it was absolutely delicious. It must have been from some human's booth. You had never even heard of them before. You were carefully munching on one when a dark shadow loomed over you from the front of your booth.

"Howdy, young one," greeted a low, booming voice, "I must say that your flowers are quite lovely."

You slowly looked up from your food as your eyes widened. He was astoundingly tall with horns coming from the top of his head, making him even taller. He's white fur and blonde mane were bright in the sunlight, as was his orange Hawaiian shirt. His kind face admired your flowers as if they were young children needing care. There, standing in front of your booth, was King Asgore Dreemur.

You stood quickly so that you could give him proper respect, but in your panic, you failed to realize you still had your ankle wrapped around the leg of the chair. The chair folded in on itself and you couldn't do anything to stop yourself as you tumbled backwards onto the grass. You heard a few gasps and some mumbles. You could only imagine what they were saying. You were ready to give up as you laid on your back staring into the sky. You sighed in defeat as a red gloved hand came into view waiting for you to accept the invitation to get off the ground.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" a loud familiar voice asked, "YOU TOOK QUIET AN IMPRESSIVE FALL! ONLY SECOND TO THE HUMAN, BUT THEY FELL INTO THE UNDERGROUND, OF COURSE! THAT RECORD WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO BEAT!"

Green blush filled your cheeks as you followed the hand all the way up the arm to see that is was the one and only Papyrus. He was even wearing his classic battle body he wore back in the Underground. His red scarf flowed in the breeze as if he were some kind of grand superhero. This was the closest you had ever been to him and he was offering you his hand! Oh, it was too good to be true!

"UM..." he looked around slightly confused, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND THEN? I'M NOT SURE HOW COMFY IT IS CONSIDERING I DON'T TRY TO LAY AROUND OFTEN, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND IF YOU FIND IT THERAPUTIC!"

Now you were embarrassed and you quickly took his hand. Your soul erupted with excitement as he pulled you back to your feet. You couldn't believe the Great Papyrus helped you. He truly was a hero. Sadly, he released your hand as soon as you were steady. Thats when you noticed the human ambassador, Frisk, standing beside him wearing a Delta Rune shirt and jeans. She gave you a friendly wave and smile. You looked around nervously, your fins folding down. You had embarrassed yourself in front of Papyrus, Frisk, and the King.

The King!!

You quickly turned around to see the King watching you with concern in his eyes. In fact, they were all staring at you, waiting for you to speak. Even Muffet watched from her booth with the same air of concern. You didn't know what to say, but you had to say something. The longer you waited, the more anxious you got. You has to say something. Anything.

"HI!" you said way too loudly. You flinched at how horrible that was. Hi? They wanted to know if you were ok and you said hi? You practically yelled it at them. You were ready to run away from everyone when Papyrus held out his hand to you.

"HELLO TO YOU AS WELL, SMALLER UNDYNE!" Papyrus said, causing you to twitch slightly in irritation at the nickname, "I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND THIS, HERE, IS THE HUMAN, FRISK! WE WERE TOURING THE FESTIVAL WITH HIS MAJESTY WHEN HE EYED YOUR GORGEOUS ARRAY OF FLOWERS! THAT'S WHEN YOU DECIDED TO TEST THE GROUND'S COMFORT LEVEL!"

You shook Papyrus's hand and despite everything being so embarrassing in this moment, you couldn't keep the grin off your face. You were shaking hands with Papyrus. Papyrus was talking to you. You couldn't ask for more. Long after you stopped, you were still all bubbly deep in your soul.

"Th-Thank you... so much," you mumbled quietly. For a moment, Papyrus looked at you slightly confused, but nodded.

"YES, I UNDERSTAND MY PRESENCE CAN BE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING," he boasted, "BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, I'M JUST A HUMBLE SKELETON WITH AN AW INSPIRING REPUTATION!" You giggled slightly before attempting to hide your face behind your bangs. He really IS as great as you thought. That's when you saw Frisk over Papyrus's shoulder smirk suspiciously before whispering in Asgore's ear.

"What a fine idea," the King said to Frisk before turning to you, "Young one, Frisk would like for you to join her and Papyrus as they look around the fairgrounds. I will gladly purchase the rest of these flowers, so you will not need to worry about them." Your mouth fell open in shock, but your legs were still frozen in place. You shook your head as your fins fanned slightly.

"Y-you don't have to, your ma--" Asgore raised his hand in protest.

"I insist," he smiled as he studied the flowers closer, "I do not have many surface flowers in my garden as of yet and this small collection would be an excellent start. You need not worry about assisting me in transporting them. That is what a humble king like me has servents for and I do not ask them to help often. They will be more than happy to take care of it. You go and have fun."

You hesitated for a moment. You were really overwhelmed with all that was happening. This couldn't really be happening. You nodded slowly and Frisk ran up, took your hand, and off you went with Papyrus close behind.

"My name is Frisk," she said in a soft, playful voice, "What's yours?" You looked back nervously at Papyrus as Frisk pulled you along, your cheeks dusting with green blush again. You looked down at Frisk and smile.

"N-Nima," you squeaked. Frisk skipped slightly with excitement and pulled you a little faster.

"FRISK, DON'T DRAG OUR NEW FRIEND AROUND!" Papyrus said, "IT'S RUDE!" You had no idea what to expect now, but Papyrus called you 'friend' and that made your fins flutter quickly with happiness. You couldn't hold back the smile you had grown across your face, your sharp teeth shining in the sunlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papy's in the picture now! I wonder how all this is gonna go down. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm... Will it go good or bad? Will Undyne show up and ruin everything? Will Sans show up (like we all want deep, deep down)? Or will things get much... much... much worse?
> 
> STAY TUNED!!!
> 
>  
> 
> _"You're... making me nervous..."_
> 
>  
> 
> Oh, sweet Nima! No worries! I won't make it _too_ bad. ;)
> 
> .:Fanarts:.
> 
>  
> 
> [Fish-chan by BowlOfApples](http://apple-kuun.tumblr.com/post/170946639555/a-quick-doodle-on-how-i-depict-fish-reader-chan)  
> [Bit of Fanart by Lady_Kari](https://lady-karichan.tumblr.com/post/171262609892/this-is-a-bit-of-fan-art-for-livinapantasie)
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks so much!! Remember, fanarts are always welcomed!


	6. Gone in a Flash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing bad last forever... neither does the good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE: I basically did a rewrite of the entire thing! You might want to reread and see what things have changed. Not too much has, but just to be sure. Thank you all so much for being patient with me.
> 
> Also, I'm going to play a little more on the fact that I see monsters as slightly animalistic. Again, it's not too bad, but I mention heat cycles in this (I have my OWN version of a heat cycle). I feel like I've been holding back out of fear of people not liking the idea, but honestly, it makes sense to me. I mean monsters are different fron humans for a reason and I just change it slightly. Just kind of a heads up.

You had never had so much fun in your life.

You, Frisk, and Papyrus went from one end of the fair to the other. You all shopped, played games, and snacked on goodies all afternoon. You even got to stop and talk to your old friend, Napstablook, who was already good friends with the human. That made you a tiny bit jealous, knowing Muffet was also friends with her, but you brought it on yourself by being antisocial. Frisk was definitely one of the sweetest humans you had ever met in your life. She was so excited to show you everything. Pulling you by the hand, she took you from booth to booth, playing games and showing off cool human gadgets you'd never seen. Occasionally, she would look between you and Papyrus with a smirk and you wondered if your giddiness was that obvious earlier. Surely, she didn't know about your small crush on Papyrus.

Ah, Papyrus... He was everything you thought he would be. He was incredibly kind and confident in everything he did. If you won a game at a booth, he made you feel so good, filling you with a self confidence that you didn't even know you had. He was a little loud, but that was fine with you. It didn't change the fact that he was your knight in shining armor. You were all making your way back to Mettaton's stage. It was getting late and the end of the festival was nearing. You were able to mask the disappointment and enjoy every second you had left with them. You were almost to the stage when Frisk let go of your hand and bolted forward. You were confused at first, but when you looked at what she was running at, you froze.

The monster that Frisk ran to was very similar to Asgore with the exception being that she was obviously female. She wore a flowing, pale blue sundress that just made her already snow white fur look that much brighter and her elegance gave off an atmosphere that screamed royalty. It was Toriel, the Queen of Monsters, and beside her was a small yellow lizard monster wearing a black and white polka-dot dress and Undyne in her traditional black tank top and jeans. Oh, that's the last person you wanted to see, but what could you do? It would be rude to run and hide from the queen. It's not her fault she's being followed by one of the few monsters you've sworn to avoid. Before you could finish thinking it over, they had already reached you, Frisk holding tightly to Toriel's hand.

"HELLO, YOUR MAJESTY!!" Papyrus said with booming volume, "I DO HOPE YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF!" Toriel giggled slightly.

"Indeed I am, Papyrus," she said. Her voice was so gentle and smooth, like it could easily soothe you to sleep at any moment. You watched as Undyne shifted uncomfortably next to the lizard monster, avoiding your gaze. The lizard monster also seemed to fidget slightly, but it appeared to be more out of habit. "And who might this young woman be?" the queen asked, pulling your attention away from the other aquatic monster.

"WHY, THIS IS OUR NEW FRIEND, NIMA!" he beamed as he put his hand on your shoulder, causing green blush to dust your cheeks, "SHE'S THE ONE THAT RUNS THE FLOWER BOOTH THAT KIND ASGORE BOUGHT HIMSELF! SHE'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOY TO SPEND THE DAY WITH!"

"Oh, I see!" The queen sounded excited as she held out her paw to you. "It is an absolute pleasure to me you, Nima." You stared at her paw for a long moment, trying to figure out what would be the most appropriate thing to say to the queen, before Undyne suddenly spoke.

"Forget it, your majesty," she said grimly, "She's not a fan of other monsters." Your fins fanned slightly as you involuntarily snarled in irritation. You caught yourself and quickly regained control, but you weren't certain if anyone else saw it. The yellow lizard looked up at Undyne with a shocked expression and the queen frowned at her.

"OH, YOU MUST BE THINKING OF A DIFFERENT MONSTER, UNDYNE," Papyrus said quickly, making your soul flutter, "NIMA HERE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DELIGHT AND HAS SHOWN TO BE VERY KIND TO OTHER MONSTERS AND HUMANS!" It was such a kind thing for him to say, but the good feeling was gone as Undyne scoffed.

"Sure, Pap," she said as she stretched her arm behind her head, "Whatever you say." You hid your face behind your bangs and moved slightly behind Papyrus. Why is it every time Undyne showed up, you felt so uncomfortable and small? It's been like that since you met her. Papyus looked back at you in slight concern and Frisk let go of Toriel to come over and comfort you with a gentle pat on the back.

"W-well, even if it i-is her," the yellow monsters finally stuttered out, "it could be that s-she's just s-s-shy. It doesn't n-necessarily mean she dislikes m-monsters." She stepped a little closer to you, but you could tell she was being very cautious not to cross any fake boundaries you had set up around yourself. She rubbed her hands together nervously as she attempted to give you a reassuring smile. "M-my name is A-Alphys. I'm the royal s-scientist. I h-hope Undyne didn't make you t-too uncomfortable. I under... understand what it's like to b-be nervous around others for n-n-no real reason. If you'd l-like, you could always talk to me, w-when you're ready, t-th-that is." Undyne snarled slightly before looking away with a scoff. You weren't really sure what to do here. You hadn't had a people reaching out to you like this before. And you knew it must have infuriated Undyne, who thrived on being the center of attention as long as you could remember. Nonetheless, Alphys was trying to be nice and she did genuinely seem sincere when she said she understood how you felt. You hesitantly gave Alphys a small approving smile and nodded slowly. She sighed in relief as she made her way back to Undyne and frowned up at her as if she were disappointed. Undyne looked surprised at first, but then her expression change to one of sadness as her fins fold down the sides of her head.

You were watching them carefully, taking in every little detail of they're wordless interaction when it occurred to you that Alphys was obviously Undyne's mate that you smelled on her when she came by the flower shop. That explained why Undyne easily swayed by a simple look from her. Despite the awkwardness between you and Undyne, you were slightly envious. You'd love to have a genuine mate for once. You had been with a few other monsters for short periods during the annual heat cycle, but none of them long enough to be considered your mate.

You looked up at Papyrus who was having a conversation with the queen. You hadn't been listening so you weren't sure of the topic, but you watched him. You watched the way his mouth moved when he talked, how many expression he could pull of with his malleable brow bone, the way he used his hands to make every word more animated and more memorable, the sound of his voice that filled the air with positivity. He was absolutely amazing. If only he could be your mate. Oh, but what were the chances of that? Then again, you just spent the entire day with him, so maybe it's possible. A giddiness came over you when you heard the speaker kick on at the stage just down from you, ripping you from all your daydreams.

"Beauties and gentlebeauties," said a metallic, but flamboyant voice from over the speakers, "if you could please make your way to the stage, it's showtime!" Frisk grabbed your hand and started dragging you toward the stage. Papyrus almost sprinted to the stage, but made sure not to let you all get too far behind. You were excited too. You had never seen a Mettaton show before. All the worries from before were gone in an instant as you watched the lights from the stage explode in a wonder of color.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The show was in full swing. Everyone was dancing or cheering and the atmosphere was so good that you weren't even that nervous about all the people. You weren't dancing or cheering, of course, but you were grinning from fin to fin as you watched Papyrus, Frisk, and everyone dance their cares away. To think you had all been on the surface for 3 years. Everything was exactly what everyone thought the surface would be. It was so much better than it was in the Underground. Even the small hate groups never did anything drastic enough to be worth noting, or at least you didn't know of any. Frisk came over to you and took your hand, causing you to jump slightly from being touched unexpectedly.

"Come on," she said with a giggle, "Come dance with us!" She dragged you over before you could protest and released you next to Papyrus and some smaller monsters. Green blushed flooded your cheeks as you looked around nervously for a exit. Papyrus took your hand and twirled you suddenly before place a hand on your waist and holding your hand up with your fingers intertwined. Next thing you knew, you were both dancing. You didn't know Papyrus knew how to dance too. He really could do anything. He lead you in the dance all around the little space you two had made for each other. Frisk clapped happily while other monsters cat-called and cheered. You were so nervous, but Papyrus knew exactly what he was doing. He made sure you landed each step as close to perfect as you could muster. You were like puddy in his hands as he dipped and twirled you throughout the song. After a moment, you just let all your cares go and started enjoying yourself. You weren't the greatest dancer in the world, but with Papyrus leading you, what could go wrong? Soon the song stopped and you looked up at Papyrus, hoping for more romantic moments like this. Sadly, he quickly let go of your hand and waist, his smile being the only reward for the dance of a lifetime.

"YOU DID VERY WELL, MISS NIMA!" he praised loudly, "YOU NEED JUST A LITTLE MORE PRACTICE AND YOU COULD ALMOST BE ON PAR WITH I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" You giggled, tucking a lock of your hair behind your fin, not sure of what to say. You were having such a good time. You didn't want it to end.

The night went on just like that for what seemed like forever. It started getting really late. All of the children, including Frisk, had already been collected and taken home for their bedtimes. It was nothing but adult humans and monsters at this point. As a result, the alcohol started pouring and the dancing because more intimate. You stood on the side lines and watched. It was interesting to see how similar humans and monsters pursued a mate. During off season anyway... Papyrus made his way out of the crowd and walked towards you with his innocent, happy grin. You awkwardly hid your face behind your bangs feeling embarrassed that you were just thinking about the heat cycle. You know heat cycles caused female monsters to give off strong pheromones which drive the males crazy, but the thought of Papyrus being affected by this was just... wrong for some reason.

"I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN ENJOYING YOUSELF, MISS NIMA!" he beamed causing you to giggle slightly with a nod, "SADLY, I MUST TAKE MY LEAVE. IT IS ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY PAST MY BEDTIME. MY BROTHER IS PROBABLY STILL WAITING UP FOR ME. WOULD YOU WISH TO STAY OR PERHAPS I COULD ESCORT YOU HOME?" You felt your fins droop slightly out of disappointment. You wanted to spend as much time as possible with Papyrus. That being said, he DID offer to escort you home. That would be some private time for the two of you. Now that got you excited, but you didn't want to be a burden either. Of course. As much as you would like alone time with him, he's got more important things to deal with than walking you home.

"Y-you go ahead," you said softly, "I can make it back home." Papyrus looked at you with slight concern as he rubbed his hands together nervously.

"ARE YOU SURE? MY BROTHER SAYS THAT IT CAN BE AWFUL DANGEROUS BEING ALONE AROUND THIS HOUR." Aw, he was worried about you. Your smile widened, feeling your face warm with soft blush. He really was perfect in every way.

"I'll be fine. I promise. M-My car is here anyway." Papyrus sighed before giving you a salute.

"VERY WELL, MISS NIMA! IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AND I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN! PLEASE BE CAREFUL GETTING YOURSELF HOME!"

"I will," you said as you gave a small salute back to him, slightly embarrassed for doing an action so childish, but innocent. With that, he left you there staring out over the crowd. This was the best night you ever had. You squealed inwardly with happiness. You just spent the entire day with Papyrus! You couldn't believe it! AND he said he wanted to see you again! What more could you ask for?! Suddenly, a familiar wave of magic drifted over you and you turned sharply. No one was there, but that magic... That scent... You clearly remembered it from that night in the alley. Your fins fanned slowly as you search the area with your eyes. You inhaled hard through your nose. Nothing. If it was him, he was gone. With that, you rushed back to your car so you could get back home quickly.

In your car, you thought of all the things that had taken place that day. It was such a fun day. You couldn't even wrap your head around how fun it was. You giggled quietly to yourself and turned up the radio slightly. You were feeling more confident than ever. The best you've felt in a long time. Your shop was going great. You had a shot with Papyrus. Life on the surface was absolutely everything you could have asked for. You started singing to the song. Your voice radiated through the air and the positive vibes just grew strong. As you pulled up to your shop, you hoped it would never end. That's when you noticed the the group of men wearing black across the street loading bags into the van quickly. One of them lock eyes with you. He was older (probably late 40s) with a buzz cut of blonde hair. The thing that caught your attention the most was his eye. One of his eyes was a milky white instead of bright with color. He must have been blind in that eye, but for some reason, fear gripped at you as you stared at it. He frowned at you before hopping in the van with the others and driving away.

Things were quiet for a moment before you stepped out of your car. How weird. What was it that they wanted? What were in the bags? What was up with the black? So many questions crossed your mind. It didn't really matter now though. They were gone and you were home. You made your way to the door, dropping your keys as you went to unlock it. It must have been nerves. Those guys did freak you out really bad. You picked them up and tried to unlock the door again, but before you could even get the key ready, you were thrown back, your ears ringing from the deafening sound that caught you off guard.

You gasped for air, your vision blurred. Whatever just happened knocked the wind out of you and left you stunned. After a few moments, your vision came back as did your hearing. That's when you realized... you were hearing fire. You painfully shot up from the ground to see your flower shop... in flames. Everything you had worked so hard to gain, every dream you ever had in your life time, was gone. Your pupils shrank as the situation finally sunk in and you screamed. You sounded like a crazed, wounded animal, roaring and screaming over and over. It was the most painful, most terrifying scream you've ever heard come from your own lungs. But you did it again. Again. Again... until you were dizzy from lack of breath. You fell to your knees in the middle of the street and sobbed, occasionally trying to scream again, but your throat was in shambles from your out burst. Your soul felt like it was going to shatter from the shear, raw pain of emotions. It hurt so much, but it only got worse as the flames grew higher. Neighbors started to leak out of their homes, running to you to see if you were alright, but the sirens of the fire department was the last thing you heard before you blacked out from the pain your soul couldn't endure any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .:Fanarts:.
> 
>  
> 
> [Fish-chan by BowlOfApples](http://apple-kuun.tumblr.com/post/170946639555/a-quick-doodle-on-how-i-depict-fish-reader-chan)  
> [Bit of Fanart by Lady_Kari](https://lady-karichan.tumblr.com/post/171262609892/this-is-a-bit-of-fan-art-for-livinapantasie)
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks so much!! Remember, fanarts are always welcomed!


	7. Go Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A memory of an old friend woke you after falling down. If only it was here now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying so hard on making the pacing good in this one. I rewrote it easily 3 times. I like how it turned out. We get a peek at Nima's past. That being said, it is kind of short. I didn't was going to end up changing POVs like 4 times if I didn't cut it in half.

_"Come on! Show me how strong you are!"_

_The young blue aquatic monster looked over the orange one, small shaky green spear in hand. The walls of the Waterfall caves loom high over them, making the orange monster feel cornered. She was so much smaller than the other one and the surrounding kids shouting and laughing didn't ease her anxiety. The pale blue light of the underground cave made their figures look more menacing causing the orange one to curl into a ball to hide herself._

_"Quit laughing!" the blue one yelled back at the others, "She's gonna show us how strong she is! Just you wait! Let's go, shrimp! Show them that size doesn't matter!"_

_The blue girl raise her tiny spear, giving the orange girl an opening. Her tiny fins flapped vigorously before she ran. She ran as fast as her little legs would carry her._

_"Wait!!" the blue one called after her, "You're supposed to prove how strong you are!!" The tiny orange girl didn't care. She ran harder, faster, she pushed herself with her very soul until everything was blur. She hated those kids who laughed at her for being so small. She hated the blue monster girl for trying to force her to fight. She hated everyone and everything in the Underground._

_Suddenly, she tripped on a rock, causing her to summersault into the wall. She laid on the ground in pain from the impact, the dust still settling from her sprint. When she realized the other were long behind her, she began to cry. Her cheeks flushed green and little, tiny roars escaped from her sharp teeth as she sobbed. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?_

_There was a strange noise to her side and she quickly jumped up from her place on the cave floor, the pain in her muscles causing her to flinch. There before her was a small, beastly looking animal skull surrounded by a strange blue magic, floating toward her in a gentle manner. The skull had bright blue pinpricks in it's sockets that appeared to be concerned, making her feel relaxed as it's magic rush over her._

_"W-Who are you?" she asked quietly. The skull didn't respond, but moved closer, stopping only inches from her. She slowly reached out and touched it's muzzle. It's magic tickle the palm of her webbed hand and it began to purr as she stroked it's boney surface. She giggled slightly as the skull pushed it's nose into her chest and she hugged it, understanding the sweet gesture was trying to make her feel better._

_"BROTHER!!" a small voice called loudly in the distance. The skull whipped around toward the voice and... it was gone. It was like it vanished into thin air. Was it a dream? Was she hallucinating? She stood up and looked around trying to figure out where it could have gone. She was disappointed that such a sweet monster vanished on her like that to probably never been seen again, but the monster's plan worked. She had long forgotten the cruel laughter of the other monster children._

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You hear beeping. What is beeping? Why is it so dark? You were confused. You listened to the muffled voices that sounded like they were in another room. Where were you? That's when you realized you were in a bed. Wait... A bed... Beeping... Voices... Your shop...

Your eyes shot open and you sat up. The cord that was connected to you chest popped off causing the machine to go haywire. Tears were rolling down your face before you were able to register everything around you. Your shop was gone. Your dreams were gone. Everything was gone. 

Other people, monsters and humans alike, came pouring into the room. Some rushed to the machine to shut it off, others ran to you, trying to calm you, touching you, talking to you, asking you questions. You felt panic take hold and your magic started building in your chest. What was going on? Why couldn't they just leave you alone? 

"S-Stop!!" a familiar voice called out from the door. Everyone got quiet as they turned to look at the small yellow lizard monster you met at the festival, Alphys. She looked nervous suddenly being the center of attention, but she stood her ground. "She's f-fine! We were only s-suppose to k-keep her from d-dusting. Now th-th-that she's awake, that's... not a threat anymore. You are all o-only going to s-stress her out m-more."

Everyone whispered to each other as they left the room. Alphys stood off to the side watching you as she fidgeted with her hands. You had gotten your breathing under control and looked around the room. It was a typical hospital room, mostly white with very uncomfortable looking chair by the window. The machine that was strapped to you chest was no longer beeping. It must have been what was monitoring you soul just in case you did... dust. Did you really fall down? How long were you like that? Is that why you relived that memory? It was your soul's last attempt to bring you hope?

"A week," Alphys suddenly said causing you to jump, "I-I'm sorry. I just... assumed you were w-wondering how l-l-long you've been here. You have a f-few friends who have been worried a-about you." You blinked, your fins fanning slowly on the sides of your head. She was probably talking about Muffet and Napstablook. They were the only friends you could think of at the moment. Sadly, you look down at the bed and shake your head.

"T-Thank you... Alphys, but I think I need to be alone right now." Alphys frowned, but nodded in acceptance as she started out the door. She turned to you one last time as if to make sure that's what you wanted before shutting the door. You pulled your knees to your chest as your fins folded down and listened to the hussle and bussle of the busy hospital, tears slowly trickling down your cheeks. You could really use a hug right now. If only you knew where your little skull friend was...

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Alphys entered her office with a heavy sigh, closing the door behind her. Nima had fallen down and no one was really sure how to pull her out of it. Turns out, not many monsters knew who she even was. The most of who did just knew she was quiet and avoided people. Muffet, Napstablook, Frisk, and Papyrus were the only ones who showed any interest in her condition. Now that she was awake, she would have to let them know that they could visit... when she was ready, anyway. Alphys threw Nima's chart onto her desk and stared out her window into the night sky when a flare behind her made her jump. She turned to see Sans leaning against the wall lighting one of his stupid cigarettes. His work uniform was ragged with the necktie undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Alphys was still not accustomed to him wearing that organization uniform.

"You're n-not supposed to be s-s-smoking in here," she said calmly as he let out a puff of smoke into the air.

"eh, who would i be if i didn' break the rules every now and then?" he said as he took another drag. Alphys rolled her eyes as she sat down at her desk. "she's awake, huh?"

"Y-Yes, but she wants to b-be alone. We don't want to st-st-stress her out anymore. You're j-just going to have to wait." Sans pinpricks dimmed slightly though his neutral expression never changed. He pushed himself off the wall and sat in the chair across from Alphys.

"look, alph, we're so close to catchin' the creeps that did this. she's the best lead we got, especially if she can id one of 'em. the longer we wait, the more time they've got to change their pattern."

"No, Sans," Alphys said sternly, "I'm not g-going to put my patient at r-risk even if it w-w-will help catch these guys. You have t-to wait." Sans glared at her letting the smoke roll from his mouth. Alphys knew exactly what he was thinking. She was right, stressing a monster out after they've fallen down once is risky, but Sans was tired. It was written all over his face. He's been tailing these guys for months. He just wanted them gone. Not to mention, he had already voiced some concern at the festival about Nima hanging all over Papyrus. Not that he thought she was bad, he just didn't know her. No one did, which was the weird part. Alphys frowned as Sans took another drag from his cigarette.

"fine. i'll wait, but i wanna see her before anyone else."

"W-Why? So you can q-q-question her about more than j-just the fire?" With that, Sans vanished, his smoke lingering in the room a little longer. She was right again. He was after more than just information about the investigation. He wanted to know more about Nima on a personal level for Papyrus's sake. Typical, Sans. Just typical. Alphys sighed and began to walk around the room with a can of air freshener to clear the smoke out.


	8. Note from Author

I know I haven't updated in a long time and I'm so sorry for that. I haven't forgotten about the story. I promise. I've just been having to fight a battle against my mental health. It's gone downhill again. I'll come back as soon as I feel like myself again. I promise.


End file.
